Warning: You've got to read to play Harvey Birdman

by Justin McElroy on Jan 11th 2008 11:45AM

Our friends over at the Wiicast noticed a pretty upfront warning on Capcom's new Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law game, and one that, in the in interest of public welfare, we figured we should pass on. You've got to be able to read to "fully enjoy" Harvey Birdman. Confirmed. This raises some pretty obvious questions.

Are there many games that don't require reading to fully enjoy? Are there poor souls out there stuck, staring at title screens and wondering why people say video games are so fun? Also, how is a non-reader supposed to read the warning? We know, we know, this message could be designed for parents. But if we may be so bold, if that is the case, perhaps a book would be the wiser purchase.

Source

Tags: capcom, DS, harvey-birdman, Wii

Reader Comments (59)

That's a good warning, actually. That'll save a lot of, "All you do in the game is read! This sucks!"

If you worked in a game store you would see that most games say this on the case nowadays.

I'd like to suggest that maybe just maybe this is an attempt to poke fun at gamers. Sometimes their humor relies on a blatant statement that is so obvious that it hurts.

You might have something there... except this warning has been a standard on Nintendo published RPGs for quite some time.

While Harvey Birdman may be making the obvious jab, I highly doubt Nintendo was making a satirical comment on the FFIII packaging.

cmon sheppy, with lines like

"third-rate superhero, now third-rate attorney (Thanks, correspondence course!)"

"...you're going to need some law books. (With pictures this time.)"

how can you take them serious when they something like that? Capcom, specially the creators of the series, like to poke at the obvious...and it is quite hillarious..XD

Well that lets the whole Halo demographic out oh sorry I mean “the Casual FPS demographic”.

I C whut u did thar.

...but...But

I can read!!!

But you see, I can't read the warning about reading being required, so how would I know?

This reminds me of those billboard ads I've seen in cities that advertising English-as-a-second-language classes, and are written entirely in English.

That's some quantum sh*t right there but what about asking an adult you trust? Not a stranger because you shouldn't speak with strangers because remember Strangers are sexual predators who haven't touch you yet.

perhaps you should attend the Derek Zoolander Center For Children Who Can't Read Good And Wanna Learn To Do Other Stuff Good Too

Hey guys. Let me read that for you, you can trust me Mr. Esc I'm totally not a stranger....and not a bum, and in no way a strange bum as if somehow combined.

Also... robert your comment is win + win. Which = EPIC WIN!

lol @ Robert. +1 for you.

I've noticed that disclaimer on quite a few DS games, as well.

LOL Same warning was on the Pokemon Red/Blue (yes, the original Gameboy version) and I had the same thought.

I assumed it meant kids would grab the box and run to their parents and squeal "I want THIS game!" And, of course, they'd get it, and then the parents would get upset that no one told them their kids had to READ to play the game. Then Jack Thompson would freak out about how these games are murder simulators training our kids to go on killing sprees in their local libraries.

I have no idea what this article says, or what I'm typing, but I like the color blue.

According to this "English for Dummies" colouring book, you explained that the Cork Oak (Quercus suber) is a medium-sized, evergreen oak tree... native to southwest Europe and northwest Africa.

Oh! And I drew a happy cork tree too. :]

I can still play this game on my atari right?

As Zertoss said, this isn't something new. It's been a Nintendo staple for a while.

"Huh? I gotta actually READ to play Fire Emblem? The shit is this?"

Ha, this just further confirms what I tell my buddy all the time that a HUGE part of the Wii's market is very young children,

'Grade One education is needed to fully enjoy this game'

Been a Nintendo staple for a while.

I'd say this is more a warning that just because a game is cartoony, it's not necessarily for little kids.

You know, even if I couldn't read - seeing a guy's hair on fire, a formal dressed man with angel wings and an open briefcase, and a hippo with a pith helmet would interest me enough right there into wanting to play whatever the hell this was.

They put this warning so moron parents don't buy the game for their 3 year old.

The fact that it's rated T for Teen is supposed to do that and we know how well that works.

Teh sadist part is dat m@ny wilz not play tihs gamez 2 full njoymentz cuz its aint l33tz or im soz I cantz understandz it. w00t.

LoL Dubya, is that you? Who let you out of Texas, you silly goof? ;D

Que?

Chinese people are double the world population?

"insert somewhat witty comment"

hahaha, double.

???

With all seriousness, I'm pretty sure that the Madden/Halo frat boy crowd is fairly accustomed to not needing to read in games. Sure, there are words there, but they don't care. They didn't come here to read, they came here to mash buttons and call into question the parentage and sexuality of total strangers on Xbox Live.

Andy I love you. +1

I'm not so sure you can classify "the Madden crowd" as being of the frat boy variety. No, the Madden crowd, it's more like 90% of everyone in the world.

Im sure that chinese people don't like american football, and they are double the world population o_o;

Chinese people are double the world population?

"insert somewhat witty comment"

hahaha, double.

???

The warning would probably help my mom out buying for my little brother...

And is is possible to enjoy games without being able to read them. Aforementioned little brother loves Ocarina and Majora, even though until very recently he had to call his older sister into the room to read all the text for him. Actually, that probably helped out her reading abilities at an early age... yes nintendo, it's all for THE CHILDRENs!

Why is the post "Filed under: Nintendo DS, Nintendo Wii"? The game is available on other consoles such as the Sony PSP.

And rightfully cheaper on PS2 and PSP too. I spent $40 on Wii for this and felt quite violated.

And once again the joystiq network of commenting is screwed up.

It's not like it's a lot of reading, you can finish the game in about 3 or 4 hours, and that's really doing every response. It makes Halo 3 seem like a Marathon.

"It makes Halo 3 seem like a Marathon"

cute. Submit that one to BUNGIE for a t-shirt. :]

Thank you, thank you. I'll be here all week. Try the salisbury steak.

Well if they cant read, then they need to go back to school...plus the game was design for the adults in mind....college adults.

The game is rated Teen. If a teen can't read well enough to play this game, they should not be allowed to own a game system.

The "YOU MUST BE ABLE TO READ" warning is not on the back of the box for the PSP version. Anyone know about the PS2 box?

http://kotaku.com/343554/do-gamers-read

It seems today is "Make Fun of Gamers' IQ" day. And I obviously forgot my towel.

| 1 | 2 | Most Recent | Next 50 Comments

Sorry, you must be logged in to leave a comment.

Breaking News

The most popular posts
in the last 7 days

Vita 'UMD Passport' won't be offered in US 220 comments
Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning review: A tempting fate 153 comments
David Jaffe leaves Eat Sleep Play, layoffs hit developer [Update] 108 comments
Don't call it a remake: Final Fantasy X is a 'remaster,' to be clear 95 comments
Battleship movie adapted into FPS by Double Helix 93 comments

Warning: You've got to read to play Harvey Birdman

Reader Comments (59)

Posted: Jan 11th 2008 11:49AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jan 12th 2008 6:07AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jan 11th 2008 11:51AM TravisAdams said

Posted: Jan 11th 2008 11:59AM SheppyReturns said

Posted: Jan 11th 2008 12:04PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jan 11th 2008 11:50AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jan 11th 2008 11:52AM baby sea tuna said

Posted: Jan 11th 2008 12:27PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jan 11th 2008 12:28PM Vegeta has a ps3 said

Posted: Jan 11th 2008 11:50AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jan 11th 2008 11:54AM baby sea tuna said

Posted: Jan 11th 2008 12:01PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jan 11th 2008 12:18PM prime8 said

Posted: Jan 11th 2008 1:39PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jan 11th 2008 9:21PM SoCoolCurt said

Posted: Jan 11th 2008 11:51AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jan 11th 2008 11:51AM Zertoss said

Posted: Jan 11th 2008 11:58AM Duke said

Posted: Jan 11th 2008 12:13PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jan 11th 2008 2:52PM Duke said

Posted: Jan 11th 2008 12:00PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jan 11th 2008 12:01PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jan 11th 2008 12:00PM SheppyReturns said

Posted: Jan 11th 2008 12:02PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jan 11th 2008 12:08PM foxhound said

Posted: Jan 11th 2008 12:09PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jan 11th 2008 1:37PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jan 11th 2008 12:13PM Zoot Suit Jedi Grammar Hammer En said

Posted: Jan 11th 2008 12:14PM foxhound said

Posted: Jan 11th 2008 12:29PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jan 11th 2008 3:57PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jan 11th 2008 12:59PM processfive said

Posted: Jan 11th 2008 1:19PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jan 11th 2008 1:54PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jan 11th 2008 2:19PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jan 11th 2008 3:58PM Nigeria said

Posted: Jan 11th 2008 1:19PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jan 11th 2008 1:20PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jan 11th 2008 1:24PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jan 11th 2008 1:24PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jan 11th 2008 1:24PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jan 11th 2008 1:23PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jan 11th 2008 1:29PM foxhound said

Posted: Jan 11th 2008 1:36PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jan 11th 2008 1:36PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jan 11th 2008 2:56PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jan 11th 2008 3:23PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jan 11th 2008 3:30PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jan 11th 2008 3:30PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jan 11th 2008 4:31PM ForTheHuynh said

Info

Description

MSRP

Release Date

Genre

Developer

Publisher

Rating

Breaking News

Double Fine Kickstarter passes $1 million in under 24 hours, breaking yet another record

Featured Stories

Ghost Recon: Future Soldier brings information warfare to the front

Rhythm Heaven Fever review: Crazy into you

Remedy not done with Alan Wake

The most popular postsin the last 7 days

Engadget

TUAW

Massively

WoW

The most popular posts
in the last 7 days